1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for reacting a thin film of an organic liquid with a gaseous medium. In particular, this invention relates to a process and apparatus for reacting a sulfonatable or sulfatable organic liquid with sulfur trioxide.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In recent years, several processes and apparatus have been suggested for reacting thin films of sulfonatable and sulfatable organic liquids with sulfur trioxide. Perhaps the greatest impetus for such suggestions has been the increased use of such processes and apparatus for the production of synthetic detergents, such as alkyl aromatic sulfonates.
Some of the suggested processes require large quantities of inert carrier gas, such as air, introduced at high velocities to move the thin film of organic liquid along a cooled surface during reaction and to create a disturbance in the film. The use of large quantities of inert gas necessitates a large power consumption to run auxiliary equipment such as air compressors and dryers and connecting pipes. More importantly, the suggested processes utilizing large quantities of inert gases introduced at high velocities created air pollution control problems due to the amount of noxious reactant gas carried through the reactor and the quantity of organic liquid fumes which were carried along into the effluent stream. To control such problems, air scrubbers of a design requiring sizable plant space and power requirements were needed. Furthermore, many of these suggested reactors are of the vertical concentric wall type which consume much plant space.
A process and apparatus for reacting a thin film of an organic liquid with a gaseous medium which eliminates or minimizes the problems discussed above while at the same time provides reaction products which meet commercial specifications of color and percent unreacted organics is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 285,382, filed Aug. 30, 1972.
It would be desirable, however, to provide an improved process and apparatus for reacting a thin film of an organic liquid with a gaseous medium in terms of increased production, decreased plant space, ease in construction and improved product quality.